


Comfort Within the Darkness

by Masdevallia



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Bernie takes initiative, Birthday Sex, Blindfolds, Consent, Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, During Timeskip (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Established Relationship, F/M, Hands, Loss of Virginity, Porn With Plot, Praise Kink, Pre-Time Skip, Sex Magic, Sort Of, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:55:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24690418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masdevallia/pseuds/Masdevallia
Summary: Bernadetta is working on her fears of Hubert, who she has been courting for a time now and wants to be more intimate with. Hubert suggests using blindfolds to help.
Relationships: Bernadetta von Varley/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 18
Kudos: 81
Collections: FE3H Kinkmeme Light





	Comfort Within the Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> Link to the prompt: https://fe3h-kinkmeme-light.dreamwidth.org/452.html?thread=126916#cmt126916

The first time Bernadetta had been kissed, it was in the darkness. She remembered each and every detail. It was during her birthday. The Professor had thrown a tea party for her in the courtyard, where Bernadetta was offered her favorite tea (Honeyed-Fruit Blend) and was presented with dozens of cake samples made courtesy by the Professor’s latest recruit, Mercedes.

Bernadetta had never been happier. No one had ever bothered to throw a party for her. For the first time in her life, she felt wanted, appreciated, even. Like her presence wasn’t a joke or a nuisance. 

It had gotten dark out by the time she left the tea party. Bernadetta didn’t go out much, but it was the Ethereal Moon. It had always gotten darker during earlier hours. The solstice would be soon. Not to mention it was chilly already. Bernadetta made sure to bring a shawl for warmth, but it was an excuse for her to stay cosy indoors, away from the cold.

As she turned a corridor, she felt a chill in the air, and it wasn’t from the temperature. 

“Good evening, Bernadetta.” It was none other than Hubert, who had performed a customary bow. Except when he did it, it always felt different. Bernadetta thought she must have been crazy, but the way he appeared to search for her eyes when he bowed, or how he bowed...deeper to her, with some level of meaning she couldn’t decipher. It was surprisingly intimate. Bernadetta wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her.

She couldn’t see him that well, save for his shadowy silhouette in the darkness, but that voice of his was unmistakable. 

“Um, evening Hubert.” All of her senses were on high alert. Her instinct was to run as fast as she could to her room, but Hubert had long legs and he was always able to catch up to her despite his running speed being slower. It was usually better to just-- _No, Bernie! You’ve gotta conquer this! Conquer this fear of your classmate!_

And besides, Hubert had been nothing but nice to her. He offered her food late at night whenever she was having a bad day, made sure she attended her classes and smuggled her to the back of the room, teamed up with her during battles, and would accompany her to the greenhouse, where they would hold earnest conversation about poisonous and carnivorous plants. She really had no reason to be afraid of him. Yet her entire body just had an uncontrollable reaction to him. Her heart was beating, practically doing backflips and her stomach was...fluttering, was perhaps the best way to describe it?

“I’ve been told that it’s your birthday today. Is that so?”

Bernadetta nodded. “Um...yes?”

“I took the liberty of procuring a gift for you. I do so hope you’ll enjoy it.” In his hands was a small charm. It was a dark brown bear, his form round and smiling. It wasn’t something she had ever expected. 

“Wow! This is so cute! Thanks!” She accepted the gift, her fingers brushing Hubert’s hands. Her entire body felt a jolt, as if being hit by a Thoron spell. The same moment that happened, Hubert’s hand found hers. Bernadetta would have let go in fear, were it not for the way he had gently clasped it, though she were free to reclaim it at any second. 

Hubert lifted it, and brought it to her lips. It was not unlike the romantic stories Bernadetta read (and sometimes tried to pen) “You’re very much welcome.”

Bernadetta was speechless...from everything. From how he had blindsided her by remembering her birthday _and_ giving her a gift, to kissing the back of her hand. A million thoughts floated through her mind. _Is this improper? Would father kill me for this?_ But one thought rose above the rest. 

“That was...sensuous.” And then Bernadetta realized her mistake. “Oh no. Oh _no_! Did I just say that out loud? Ah!”

Hubert stepped closer to her. “Well, well, well. It appears you quite enjoyed that. Perhaps I can give you a proper kiss then?”

If anything Bernadetta wanted to-- “You should ignore what I just said. Bernie’s so stupid. Stupid! Um...Wait, what?”

Bernadetta realized her hand was still being held by Hubert, his gloves soft to the touch. Hubert released her hand, shaking his head. _Wait. He said he wanted to kiss Bernie._ “Forgive me for being so forward. I don’t know what came over me. I apologize for it, and for upsetting you on your birth--”

“No! I-I-I don’t mind!”

Without much thought or hesitancy, Hubert leaned down and Bernadetta went on her tiptoes, their lips meeting halfway. Bernadetta was shocked by how soft he was and he appeared just as pleasantly surprised by her, given the very much out of character sigh he gave against her mouth. Bernadetta clutched the bear charm he had given her, her hand tightening as she lost herself in the kiss, lost herself to the darkness, Hubert’s lanky arms wrapping around her entirely. He held her close after, dotting her face with kisses everywhere. It wasn’t something she would have ever expected, nor her reaction to him.The warmth she felt against the chill of the darkening halls of Garreg Mach Monastery. 

His long, coarse black hair tickled her face, breaking her from the spell. 

This wasn’t something proper ladies did, yet Bernadetta didn’t want to stop.

“Um, I go um, probably go now. I mean, I _should_ probably go.” Her mind had been turned to mush. 

“Wait.” Hubert still had one more thing to say to her. “After the school year's over and done with and we graduate. I would like to try my hand at courting you.”

“I…” Bernadetta wanted it. She was afraid of him, but he was not a threat, at least not to her. But there was one person who was higher in the pecking order in regards to the fear she felt. “My f-father might not like that.”

“Well, I have a feeling your father won’t decide for you come the Lone Moon. How about you tell me then?”

*

Hubert’s cryptic words ended up being exactly what happened. Her father was now under house arrest for the foreseeable future and for the first time in Bernadetta’s life, she was free. 

She did indeed allow Hubert to court her and despite their clumsy few attempts at it, they quickly realized their dates generally fared better during the middle of the night, often going on midnight strolls, sharing midnight snacks or telling each other of the books they read. It often ended in kissing, lots and lots of kissing and affectionate gestures.

And yet, Bernadetta was bothered. Not because Hubert was a bad boyfriend or anything. Rather, because no matter how much she liked Hubert, her knee jerk reaction to him was always the same and she couldn’t figure out _why_ she was still so afraid of him when logically, there was nothing to fear. Was it when he smiled? Or his laugh? Maybe it was because he would sometimes say something out of place in a conversation, usually of the morbid variety?

And despite all of that, Bernadetta wanted to escalate the relationship. She wanted to go further than the hours long makeout sessions in the darkness of their rooms and the occasional over the clothes fondling. Hubert was always so nice to her, so unexpectedly considerate and accommodating, and _she_ was the problem.

It was now a year since they had their first kiss in a darkened corridor at Garreg Mach Monastery and also her nineteenth birthday. Hubert had invited her to the third floor of the monastery. Once locked to students, it was somewhere where Bernadetta occasionally hung around either to enjoy the absolute solitude and to tend to Rhea’s garden. 

Bernadetta made sure to brush her hair and to wear a nice, but not too nice dress as to feel out of place. Especially in this cold weather and at such a high altitude in the middle of the night where she needed to dress cautiously.

Hubert was waiting for her, admiring the flowers at a reasonable distance. Bernadetta was happy to see him, yet her fear took center stage when their gazes met. She couldn’t imagine what he possibly felt at the sight of her smiling and then that smile quickly turning into a frown.

“Happy birthday, Bernadetta.” He bowed, his hands finding hers as he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. Bernadetta was quick to notice it was his favorite form of giving affection, especially when they had stolen moments together. _He’s so good to me and...and…_ Tears began to form at the base of her eyes. “I wasn’t expecting that reception.”

“S-sorry! I just…”

“Here, I’d like you to have this.” It was a handkerchief, made of the finest fabric. On each of the corners were orange Pegasi with rainbow manes. He dabbed it over her cheeks. “I bought several for you.”

“I don’t...I don’t deserve you!” 

“And why is that?”

“Because--Because each time I see you or sometimes when we’re together, I just get so scared. I don’t know how to control it!”

“Is that it?” he said, deadpan and unsurprised. 

She nodded. He guided her to one of Rhea’s benches, dabbing the handkerchief on her cheeks. “But I don’t _want_ to feel this way! I want to grow and keep seeing wh-where our courtship might lead not and try more than just kissing you--not cower away like some dumb mouse.”

“I don’t believe you’re ‘some dumb mouse’. And everyone has their own...terrors. And while I do not wish to be the object of your unease.” He cleared his throat. “I quite admire the Pegasi. The way they soar above the sky, graceful and free. They are unwatched and able to do as they please. And not to mention, their feathers are as soft as down.” Bernadetta didn’t understand why he abruptly changed the conversation. “Do you know why I cannot ride a Pegasus?”

“Um, because you’re a boy?” she asked.

“It has little to do with outdated gender notions,” Hubert spat with bitterness. It wasn’t aimed at her, but she still cowered. “Rather because my own terrors take the form of the lofty heights from above. Now why do you think I’m several ways away from the edge of this courtyard?”

Bernadetta laughed, feeling better that Hubert was able to confide with her his fear. “Then why make our meeting spot here?”

“I admitted privacy was the reason. The Goddess tower is rather cliched, if I do say so myself. And...did I hear correctly-- did you just say you wanted to ‘do more than kissing’?”

Bernadetta went red. “Oh no! Did I say that out loud?” Why did she always just babble out the stupidest things in front of Hubert. “I um, pretend you didn’t hear that! That’s so embarrassing!”

“Is that what you think?” he asked. “If I were to be honest with you, I too, would like to try for more, but only if you so wanted to. I have no intention to press you.”

“Bernie feels...like it’s wrong.”

“Then that’s the end of the subject, then. Why don’t we look at the stars, then?”

Bernadetta shook her head. “Ah, let me finish!” She took a deep breath. “I mean, my father taught me that sex was dirty. That it was wrong to do and I’d be soiled forever and that I would be branded for the rest of my life.”

“That’s nonsense,” he said. “Pure and utter rubbish and lies the church fed him over crests and the like.”

“And if...if I were to do that with you...then you won’t see me the same after.”

“Is that what you think?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to. And...I don’t know if that’s tied into my deeper fears or not. But um..” Bernadetta’s heart began to pound. “I still want to try with you.T-tonight, if you’d like. Even if we don’t have sex, I want to conquer all of my fears. O-or at least get closer to reaching that goal.”

Hubert kissed the top of her head. “I like those goals.” He laughed, and Bernadetta appreciated the effort he made not to go overboard. “Heh. A reason I did want to have you here was because of privacy, yes, but are you aware of a certain...archbishop’s bedroom is located here?”

Bernadetta shook her head. 

“It was originally locked, but Lady Edelgard managed to procure a key.” He held up a large key. It had what looked like a crest’s symbol on the bow. 

“Oh! So um, can we move there?”

“If you’d prefer to.”

“Please! And it’s cold out here! Let’s go.” 

Hubert had surprised her by extending his arms down and lifting her in them. “Then what are we waiting for?” he asked. As Hubert walked, something inky black began to form around them. When she gazed over at Hubert, his face was deeply rooted into concentration. Upon closer inspection, he was whispering an incantation, so low that even she couldn’t hear him.

Rhea’s bedroom was spacious. The first thing she noticed was the four poster bed. The sheets were of the purest white. In front of it was a lounging chaise, also of the same shade of white. And then Bernadetta realized how much Hubert had an affinity for the ironic. This was intentional on his part. 

He dropped her down on the bed and she placed herself near the pillows. Bernadetta couldn’t help but notice yet again for the hundredth time that Hubert reminded her of a cat with the ways his eyes shone in the near darkness. She didn’t want to cower, but it was reflexive. 

“I have a theory and a proposal, Bernadetta.” She nodded for him to continue. “As you can likely see, I’ve summoned some of my...darkness.” They were dark smoke plumes, now having fully formed around him. One had caressed Bernadetta’s cheek. They were not unlike silk in terms of how they felt against her skin. “I believe if we can use these, then perhaps, we can use this to our advantage in regards to your...fears. Allow me to demonstrate.”

The tendril made a motion not unlike a kiss before wrapping itself around Bernadetta’s line of sight. It obscured her vision completely, yet it didn’t appear restrictive in any way. “Oh, that’s not bad at all.” All she could feel now was the comfort of Rhea’s soft, downy pillows on her back, now amplified. “It’s actually quite comfy!”

“Good. The magic will fade once you say the word.”

“Um, okay, so now--” Hubert kissed her. This wasn’t anything unlike the kisses they had shared in the past. She eagerly kissed him back, her arms wrapping around him as he settled on top of her. It was easy to get lost in kissing. Usually, her eyes had been closed anyway, but the magic blindfold Hubert had conjured allowed her to easily close her eyes without her eyelids or eyelashes bringing about any discomfort.

She deepened the kiss, her tongue poking through and eager to explore inside him. He allowed her while his hands began to meander. Each time he touched her breasts, she would gasp. 

Hubert broke the kiss. “You like that, don’t you?”

She nodded. “Y-yes.” He slowly began to peel off her dress. 

“Is this alright?” he asked. 

She nodded. “I’m glad it’s not very cold in here.”

“No, the so-called archbishop kept a warm bed. And I intend to ravish you in it.” He carefully removed her dress. Where it was now was located in places unknown as far as Bernadetta knew. Hubert’s hands were on her breasts, his fingers rolling on her nipples. 

“They’re quite beautiful,” he said. 

“You think so?” she asked, in awe. To her they were mosquito bites that were only now just starting to grow. Even Petra, who was two years younger than her, was more developed than she was. It was something she was incredibly self-conscious of. 

“Quite.” She moaned at him squeezing each one.

At the same time, she could feel her underwear being lowered. To her, it felt as though his hands were everywhere, moving too fast for her to comprehend. The feeling of another hand had stroked her cheek, a thumb running alongside her lower lip. Bernadetta gave him a kiss. She could feel him smile against her lips. It made her smile as well.

“Lovely, you’re so lovely, Bernadetta.” The feeling of hands ran all around her body. Her legs, her abdomen, her breasts, and her cheeks. All stroking her in soft caresses. And then she felt something wet on her breasts, followed by a soft, sucking. Bernadetta’s hands grasped the bedsheets.

“Um, Hubert?”

“Yes, my dearest?”

“This is going to sound really weird, but it feels as though, um...there’s a bunch of hands...on me?”

Hubert pressed a kiss near her bellybutton. “Ah yes, those are my friends,” he said. One hand moved to her thighs, stroking them carefully. She could feel each finger as they moved up. They felt like the silken shadow blindfold Hubert made. But at the same time, she found herself second guessing which hand’s were actually Hubert’s. 

Bernadetta found the mystery utterly sexy on his part.

“Friends?”

“I’ve wanted to touch every inch of your skin, Bernadetta. I hope you enjoy the sensation.”

“Come here,” she said, searching for him. They had found each other. Bernadetta pushed his hair back, not caring anymore if they were making eye contact or not and met his lips. She wanted him. That much was apparent. And in the darkness, he wasn’t so scary. 

The hand on her thigh moved higher, dangerously towards her folds. 

She felt something soft tease her there, like a finger. “Ah!” 

“Oh my, my. These hands are quite eager for you. Would you care for them to indulge?” The hand below stopped moving, instead giving a soft motion of her hairs below.

“Can...you um, feel them?”

“They are connected to me, so in a sense, yes.”

“Okay. Um, they can touch me, if it’s you.”

“Perfect.” Hubert was back on her again. Bernadetta was struggling to take his jacket off, which only amplified when she felt a finger slip inside her.

She gasped at the feeling. 

The finger had known exactly where to go as it rubbed on her. “Ahh, ahh.”

“How lovely it is to hear you yell for me. I hope to have you screaming my name.”

Another finger was inside her, rubbing and rubbing her again and again. Bernadetta’s hips undulated. At the same time, she felt her breasts being squeezed and caressed. She legitimately couldn’t tell which was Hubert's, especially since his gloves were just as smooth.

“Your cunt must be dripping wet by now.”

“Then t-touch it. Please.”

“Hmm, I think I’d rather see my lovely Bernadetta come first. I want this etched into my memory.”

The hands became more aggressive with their movements. No, not aggressive, but rhythmic. Bernadetta tried to match the rhythm. She felt a low heat pulsate through her until she felt something soft and wet on her stomach as he rode up. _His tongue. It has to be his tongue._

“Hubert…” 

“Come for me. I know you’re close.”

She felt what she knew was his tongue on her nipple once more, flicking and lapping. Bernadetta kept trying to match the fast pace the fingers were moving in, but she was quickly losing control. She felt it in her back, in her toes. _Yes! Yes! Yes! Hubert, yes!_ She couldn’t tell if that was her thoughts or if she spoke out loud.

“Good. Let it all out, Bernadetta. So lovely.”

Bernadetta felt embarrassed at the fact that she was apparently loud. She wondered if Hubert could tell or if her body was red. Then again, whenever she got herself off, she noticed her skin would be tinged pink.

Hubert began to kiss at the small area between her breasts and then lowered towards her stomach, then her at her arms. Bernadetta’s breath hitched. Those were the places where she felt the most insecure. The places where she had her scars thanks to the torment her father would subject her to. 

“C-can you see them?” she asked, her hands still grasping the sheets. 

“Nothing escapes my view. If you’re wondering, no they’re not hideous to look at.” He pressed a long kiss to a scar right below her left breast, where the rope had burned so hard it tore through her nightgown. All the meanwhile, the shadowy hands did not let up. While they were no longer inside her, they were still caressing her hair and shoulders. They felt loving to her. Bernadetta wasn’t used to so much affection, even if they were magically made shadows.. “Each part of you is delectable. Hm…”

“‘Hmm’?”

“I wonder…” Hubert began to kiss at her once again, his tongue running down her body until it was right between her legs. It was right then when he began to flick his tongue inside. “So wet. So...Very...Wet.” The hands moved down to her breasts once more. One remained right by her face, a shadowy thumb running along her lips once more. She gave the finger a small peck before opening her mouth and allowed the finger inside. It didn’t dissolve or taste weird.Rather it felt like a genuine finger inside her. 

Hubert had located her clit. “Delicious. How is it that have you been hiding from me for this long?” She began to rock her hips against his tongue, the sensation of hands helping her reach her second orgasm even faster. She felt a burning, or at least, that was the closest she could describe it to. The hand had dissolved before she screamed his name once more. 

In fact, all of them had dissolved. Bernadetta didn’t know if they had dissolved one by one or all at once, but a part of her was disappointed they were gone. All that remained was the smoky blindfold. Bernadetta’s breath was ragged, all of the sensations had overwhelmed her and now most of them were gone.

“Look at you, you’re shaking.” Hubert wrapped a bedcover over her. 

Bernadetta sought Hubert out and snuggled against him. A hand was making soft motions on her hair. He was still wearing his clothes save for his jacket. “Um. Hubert?”

“Hmm?”

“You seem to be wearing your clothes still.”

“Why, yes. It’s your day, after all.”

“Oh. Um...what if I want them off?” 

His hand stopped petting her hair. “Are you saying you want to let me in on the fun?”

“Um...yes,” she said. “It’s my birthday.” She wanted to help him out of his clothes, but her lack of vision made it difficult for her to even try. She heard the scraping of clothes being taken off and had latched onto Hubert when she heard the noise of them being thrown to parts unknown. Maybe they were piled with hers. 

Bernadetta had snuggled against him, her finger tracing his collarbone, shoulders, chest, and his soft, soft stomach. Another hand went around his back, where she could feel bumps. “Those are scars.”

“Yes.”

She made sure to graze over them with as much affection as she could. “I didn’t know, Hubert.”

“Some are from battle. Others...well, they are gruesome stories but of a different caliber.” Bernadetta moved up to kiss him and he obliged, meeting her. He deepened the kiss, and then pushed forward, pinning her underneath him. The covers had flown back. She could feel every inch of scalding skin over hers, but what she could feel most was his hardened cock over her stomach. As he kissed her, her hands lowered, finding it and running a finger over it before she wrapped her hand around it and pumped from the base to the head. 

“Ooh, Bernadetta,” Hubert said in a shudder. “How I’ve fantasized of this moment. Of your delicate hands around my cock. Do it again.” She repeated the motion. “Again. Again. Again…” She was worried she was clumsy with how she couldn’t keep a rhythm and already felt her hand tiring after a few strokes. 

“I want you. Imagine when I’m inside you. I want to fuck you into the night.”

Everything he said was a turn on to her. From his constant praise, to his dirty talk, and the way he would intermingle the two. ““Me, too.” 

He was louder than she expected, giving her grunts of encouragement. She wondered if he, too, was a virgin. It hadn’t been brought up before in conversation. Sex wasn’t an every day topic for them. There were so many things she wanted to do to him. She wanted to keep doing this, to make him happy and bring him off with her hand. Or she could also do the same thing he did to her cunt and take him in her mouth. But most of all, she wanted to take him. 

Bernadetta felt a surge of energy blast throughout her body. She had only seen it happen during battles and somehow it had been triggered tonight. In the flash of a second, she was now on top of him from what she could tell. His dick was right below her. Bernadetta moved her hips against him, eliciting a moan. 

She gripped him once again, hand moving from base to tip before rubbing it against her wetness and her clit. They both moaned. 

“Bernadetta…” Hubert said, pained. 

She didn’t know what possessed her but she moved his cock deeper into her. It felt nice. No, nice was an under exaggeration. It felt _perfect_. 

“Bernadetta…”

_Deeper. More. More. More..._

“Bernadetta.”

 _There._

It had fit snugly inside her. 

She couldn’t see him, but she moved her hips up, playing with his cock, feeling the head bob against her clit. And then she brought herself down again. It was supposed to be painful, wasn’t it? But she had felt none of that. 

“Ahh…” Hubert said as she repeated the motion. She wanted to feel every inch of him. And then she heard him whisper something under his breath again. 

For a moment, she wondered if Hubert had moved up, a hand on her chest as she started to fuck him, but then she felt another hand cup her ass. Another had found her back. She moved closer to him, her lips finding him while she rocked herself over him. 

“Fuck,” Hubert said. “Yes. Yes. Goddess. My Goddess, Bernadetta.” The praise made her move harder, faster against him. He tried to match her movements. “Allow me to worship you.”

“You feel _so_ good, Hubert.”

“Words...cannot describe how heavenly you...Goddess.” 

The irony wasn’t lost on her. She was fucking him in Rhea’s room. That alone would have been grounds for their execution. But here he was, calling _her_ the Goddess. And she not only accepted it, but _enjoyed_ it. She wanted to be his Goddess. Wanted him to worship the ground she walked on.

A hand had found her clit, rubbing and stroking as she fucked Hubert to oblivion. She screamed. 

“H-Hubert...Hubert...oh…I’m...I’m...” Her orgasm was so close. This one was shaping up to her strongest yet. But something was missing. She was struggling with her words. “Blindfold...off…”

And just like that, it had disappeared. Smoke wrapped around her like a cloud, almost disappeared as her line of vision zeroed in on him. Hubert’s hair was sticking out in every direction and she had a full view of his face. His eyes were closed as he chased his own pleasure. He looked surprisingly vulnerable in this state. And then when she looked down, she was surprised it was his own finger on her clit.

He didn’t look scary to her. In fact, he was at his least scary. 

The hands around her were all dark and shadowy and hard to see but they were encouraging. Bernadetta bounced on top of him, her breaths now completely out of sync as she felt Hubert’s finger move faster. She felt wetter and…

Bernadetta felt heat pooling from her clit to her back all the way down to her toes. The sensation made her scream. She felt Hubert slow his movements under her before letting out his own choked off noises of pleasure. The hands left once more.

Bernadetta rose up, releasing herself from him, feeling a liquid slide out of her. She cuddled right besides him, in awe of her actions. She wasn’t planning on...But she did. She wanted it. And it was _amazing_.

“My, my that was quite the initiative you took,” he said after regaining his breaths. 

She buried herself into his chest. She was afraid of seeing him again. Not because he was scary, but because she was so forward. “I’m sorry if I was too forward.”

“I didn’t say that I didn’t like it.” He lifted the covers.

“Yeah, but…”

“Don’t apologize, dearest.” He kissed the top of her head. “I want you to be yourself around me. And I will still be here with you tomorrow. And the day after that. And for many days to come.” He made motions across her back “You took the blindfold off.”

“Um, not because I was uncomfortable, but because I wanted to see you.”

“I see.”

“I know. I think it’ll get easier with time. Just...keep being patient. And amazing.” She could still only see his outline in the darkness, but her lips found his. She felt a lot more at ease in the darkness. 

“How about we retire here for the night. Tomorrow we can continue some more birthday festivities. I managed to procure some pastries from the capital. They should be arriving tomorrow.”

“Ooo! I’m excited.”

He kissed her goodnight. “One day…” she heard him mumble to himself before falling asleep, his arms locked tight around her. 

She had hoped for something similar. She wanted to stop being afraid, but this was a step in the right direction. Bernadetta couldn’t sleep, not because she had just lost her virginity and she didn’t feel dirty for it. But it was something else. Her heart beat so loud against her chest, she was certain Hubert would wake up and ask her if something was wrong. 

But he was fast asleep. She wondered if his magic had played a role in his apparent exhaustion, but Hubert was always awake, anyway. 

No, her thoughts were careening elsewhere as she sorted her feelings out. She was scared, yes, but there was something else that was bringing about her fear. Bernadetta thought and thought about _why_ she could be scared. It made no sense to her. _Because...because how can I be scared of him if I’m falling in love with him?_

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this please consider leaving a kudos or comment.


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